


Fools Whether We Dance or Not

by TheVampireLucinda



Category: Professional Wrestling, 新日本プロレス | New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Genre: Kota's Thoughts, Love/Hate, M/M, Pre-Golden Lovers Reunion, Wrestling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 07:46:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15068471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheVampireLucinda/pseuds/TheVampireLucinda
Summary: Once, long ago, we could speak without talking; now, I'm just sitting here trying to figure out what the hell you're trying to say.





	Fools Whether We Dance or Not

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Somehow, I missed the fact that when Kenny saved Kota at New Year's Dash, Kota was on the ring apron for a little bit crying after it all...It broke my heart, but also brought up some interesting questions...Why *would* Kota cry when Kenny saved him?

Kota Ibushi's sense of unease grew exponentially every time he was forced to be within 50 feet of Cody Rhodes.

After each match, during each interview, the American Nightmare had made it _extremely_ clear that the primary reason he was targeting Kota was to get at Kenny. He had taunted the Golden Star at every opportunity, feigning interest, and even _desire_ at times...

But Kota was no fool. He could see that as much as Cody pretended, as much as he leered at Kota, there was only one man his eyes were really on.

As much as Cody hated Kenny, it was clear that he had feelings for him as well. And the appropriately named American Nightmare was more than willing to have Kota be collateral damage to reach his goal.

'It's not going to work,' Ibushi thought bitterly as he changed alone in a quiet locker room, getting ready for a match. 'Kenny doesn't love me; he can't even _look_ at me. He hates me even more than I imagined...'

It hurt to even think the words, but that was the only conclusion that Kota could come to, given recent events.

During the G1, the Golden Star had determined to confront Kenny, even though the thought of doing so scared him more than he could ever put into words.

_I'm afraid that one of us will die_ , he told those who asked, and watched the horror on their faces when they realized that his words were _not_ hyperbole.

But life, and Fate, had other plans. Not only did Ibushi _not_ make it to the finals last year, but Omega made it to the finals and then _lost_ to Tetsuya Naito in a heated battle.

The blond was crushed, broken in body and spirit as his closest friends, the Young Bucks, helped him limp to the back.

Before he could stop himself, Kota was halfway down the hallway, and found himself face-to-face with Kenny for the first time in years.

Kenny stumbled, seeing Kota, pushing his concerned friends away.

Their steps towards each other were tentative and slow, so unlike their joyful reunions from what seemed like a lifetime ago.

Ibushi reached out first, his most natural instincts guiding him as he placed on hand on the side of Kenny's head, and the other flush against his chest, over his heart.

“Kenny...”

He hadn't meant to speak so softly, but everything inside of him was shaking so hard that he couldn't raise his voice above a whisper. Kenny was shaking too; from anger, or weakness, or something else, Kota couldn't be sure. Omega's hand came to rest over his, and there was something so akin to _desperation_ in that simple movement that Kota could feel his heart breaking.

He knew, in that moment, he had forgiven Kenny for everything.

As always, they spoke without words.

_Kenny, are you okay?_

They leaned in towards one another; Kenny's head dropped...and he pushed Kota's hand away as gently, but firmly, as he could.

_Kota...I'm sorry. I can't._

Kota couldn't even turn around as he heard Kenny's retreating footsteps down the long hallway; couldn't move until even Kenny's warm scent was just a memory again. Carefully, Kota picked up his discarded towel.

He had forgiven Kenny that day, but it was clear that Kenny had _not_ forgive Kota...or himself.

Ibushi spent many long, miserable hours afterwards thinking about that last night of the G1. He had put himself out there, offered a bridge...but Kenny had pushed him away. That had _never_ happened before, not in all their years together, not even their years apart. Even if there had been distance—intentional or accidental—they had never actually _pushed away_ from one another.

It had been a long shot, but it seemed like things were well and truly over between them. Kenny had his path with the Bullet Club; and Kota was determined to find his own way as well, even if he had to walk alone.

Now, however, because of his beef with Kenny Omega, Cody thought that he could use Kota as a bargaining chip.

_You're about 6 years too late_ , Kota thought with a sigh. _And now, this crazy mother fucker is going to try to kill me just to get Kenny's attention. Just tell him how you feel, dumbass._

He tried to brush it off over and over; but as Cody became increasingly hostile and infatuated with Kota, his irritation began to turn to genuine worry, even fear. Cody was really going to hurt him at this rate.

Or, given the way he had started trying to kiss Ibushi, touch him, and flirt with him, something even _worse_ was going to happen.

It all came to a head at New Year's Dash. Kota fought valiantly with his team; but after the match, Cody attacked him, punching and kicking him like a madman, enlisting the Bullet Club to hold him down. The American was angry—about his loss, about Kenny's victory, about the state of the Bullet Club.

And he was going to relieve his anger by destroying the most beautiful thing that he could.

Kota wanted to cry out, but refused to give Cody the satisfaction as he was hit so hard in the head that the world started to spin.

Two of the Bullet Club members held his arms, and he saw Cody grabbing a chair out of the corner of his eye. Kota went limp, hopeless, and accepting. If he was to be knocked out right here, right now, so be it; as long as they didn't try to drag him away afterwards, or something like that, because surely someone would stop them...right?

Kota looked up into Cody eyes and saw the insanity there. He wanted to tell him that his plan simply wasn't going to work. The foundation was flawed.

It was built on the premise that Kenny still loved Kota, and that simply wasn't true anymore.

Ibushi closed his eyes, waiting for the blow to land.

_And the funny thing is...I still love you, Kenny Omega._

For some reason, the chair shot never came.

Kota opened his eyes. Cody and the others were frozen in shock; in fact, there was actual fear dancing in Cody's blue eyes. Kota struggled to follow his gaze.

'Impossible.'

_Kenny_ was rushing into the ring; and as he enter, he snatched the chair out of Cody's hands, and threw it violently onto the floor. His blue eyes were wild as he screamed at Rhodes, shoving him so hard that he fell back against the turnbuckle, utterly shocked that the Cleaner had even shown his face, much less challenged him openly.

“What the fuck?!” Cody was yelling as he and Kenny began to shove each other, neither man backing down. “ _What the fuck is your problem, Kenny_?!”

Kota watched it all, stunned, until the two men holding his arms quietly dropped him so that they could separate their feuding leaders. He slowly rolled out of the ring, tears filling his eyes as he watched Kenny defend him like some guardian angel come to Earth in a bolt of golden light. He couldn't quite hear Kenny's words, but he was certain that he caught the phrase “anyone but him” in there somewhere.

Kota leaned against the apron, exhausted, sobbing, as the commotion in the ring only grew louder.

None of this made sense.

_Why did Kenny come for me?_

_I thought..._

_You said..._

Something clicked in Ibushi's thoughts in that moment.

He considered everything he knew about Kenny—both the Kenny he knew and loved years ago, and the Kenny who seemed so vicious, and conflicted, and broken now. The two images seemed to merge, coming together the create a completely different picture in Kota's mind.

What was the message beneath the charismatic blond's words? Underneath his tweets, and interviews, and wrestling tights that all seemed to reference Kota in some way? His obvious misery, his inner turmoil, his constant self-flagellation, his obsession with being the best in the world...

What was Kenny Omega really trying to say?

Slowly, the many pieces of the puzzle came together.

The answer was so obvious and clear in that moment that Kota couldn't do anything, tears pouring from his eyes, overwhelmed.

The Young Lions knelt down to help carry him out; and with each step, determination swelled in Kota Ibushi's heart.

Because all this time, he and Kenny Omega had both been saying the exact same thing.

_And the funny thing is, I still love you, too._

 


End file.
